Overview
- Public mourning continues at the high-rise complex, where a fire killed more than 150 people about a week and a half ago.
- The election went ahead under rules allowing only CCP‑vetted “patriots,” with 161 approved candidates and fewer than a quarter of seats filled by direct vote.
- Preliminary figures indicated about 1 million of 4.1 million registered voters had cast ballots by Sunday, after Chief Executive John Lee urged participation as support for reforms and those affected.
- Lee said a commission led by judges will investigate the disaster, while probes focus on possible corruption, substandard building materials and scaffold safety.
- Authorities suppressed criticism by arresting a 24‑year‑old who promoted a petition for an independent inquiry, blocking the petition, and warning that protests could be prosecuted under national security laws.